Plasma electron gun. Final report, 26 Dec 1973--25 Feb 1975

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1975

OSTI ID:7270652

O'Brien, Jr, B B; Cohn, D B; Thompson, J E

A significant degree of control over the electrical energy deposition in high pressure gas electric discharge laser media can be realized when the source of ionization is separated from the main source of pumping energy. The most effective external source of ionization offering the widest parametric latitude is a beam of high energy electrons. Since creation of the electron beam takes place in an environment far different from that in the laser cavity, an electron transmitting window, usually a thin metal foil, is required to separate these two regions. These foils, represent a common limitation to overall system reliability. The electron source described makes use of a secondary emission from a cold cathode in a low pressure discharge and is capable of high current densities (about 0.5 A/cm/sup 2/) for durations on the order of 20 ..mu..s. The objective of this program was to characterize the plasma diode electron gun in detail and to apply this data to the conceptual design of large area devices.

• Research Organization: Northrop Research and Technology Center, Hawthorne, Calif. (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7270652
• Report Number(s): AD-A-016257; NRTC-75-19R
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
BEAMS
DESIGN
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTRON GUNS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
GAS LASERS
LASERS
LEPTON BEAMS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PLASMA
PULSES